We are pleased to announce the engagement of our daughter Rachel to Yanir Edelstein of Hadera, a talmid in Yeshivat Kiryat Malachi. The wedding will be in Yerushalayim at the L’Chaim Hall in Givat Shaul on Monday night, Nov. 24. We’d love to meet some of the wonderful people from this site in person. Anyone from the Beyond BT family who’s going to be in Israel is welcome to drop by for the reception and dancing, about 9:30 PM.

Mazal Tov to Bob & Sharon Miller on the engagement of their son Dovid to Yael Klagsbrun of Greater Passaic. Dovid has been learning at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood.

Bob notes:

At Yael’s home, I also met the famed lawyer Ron Coleman, as proven by the attached photo he took with a small electronic device. This reassured us that we both existed independently of the Web.

We’re a little envious that Ron got to meet Bob, but after the Chofetz Chaim Heritage’s film yesterday about Envy we’re working on curtailing the feeling. At the CAY showing in KGH, Rabbi Krohn, who was a speaker in the film showed up to watch it, and told over some stories which hit the cutting room floor. It was pretty cool.

Rabbi Welcher said in his Tisha B’Av shiur that we need to be constantly aware of Chesed opportunities. We have to be proactive in our chesed. Chesed can be something small like wishing someone a Mazal Tov. So we would like to take this opportunity to thank Bob for his active participation here on Beyond BT and wishing he and his wife Sharon a Mazal Tov on the engagement of their son Dovid.

Mazal Tov to Ilanit Meckley and her husband, of Houston, on the recent birth of a baby girl. The baby was named Yael Devora this past Shabbos.

In addtion to the Mazal Tov, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Ilanit for her contributions detailing the Meckleys’ growth as Torah observant Jews. Yael Devora is extremely fortunate to have such wonderful people as parents.

Mazal Tov to Chaya and Gili Houpt on the birth of twin girls Yemima Bracha and Bara Avigayil Ness this week.

Chaya is a contributor and commentor on Beyond BT. Chaya and Gili attended last year’s Shabbaton, where Gili was our Ruach and music coordinator. They have recently moved to Passaic and were set to attend this year’s Shabbaton, but thank G-d their two bundles of joy will keep them busy this Shabbos.

Mazal Tov to Beyond BT contributor Menachem Lipkin and his wife Randi on the birth of a boy this morning.

Here’s the message from Menachem:

We are thrilled to welcome the latest addition to the Lipkin family. Our son was born Monday afternoon at 3:15 in Jerusalem’s Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. He weighed in at 2.8 kg (6.17lbs), has beautiful red hair, and of course has the special distinction of being our Sabra.

We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Beyond BT contributor and commentor Gershon Seif and his wife on the upcoming marriage of their daughter Shaina to Chaim Zev Aron of Kew Gardens Hills.

We would also like to wish Mazal Tov to Chaim Zev’s parents Jay and Kaila Aron who are friends of ours from Congregation Ahavas Yisroel in Kew Gardens Hills. Chaim Zev’s sister is also a close friend of my daughter.

Please join us in saying Mazal Tov and in a rousing chorus of “It’s a Small World”.

Mark-Thanks for the wonderful update! We were so happy that so many people who have shared a role in our Avodas HaShem participated in our simcha.Although thanks to the construction on the BQE we got home very late and we are running on a lot of post Chasunah adrenaline ( and coffee) , I am constantly replaying the entire evening. It felt sort of surreal as we greeted guests before the start of the Kabbalas Panim and Tish. After we took our pictures, my mchutan and I went upstairs to the Tish. At that point, I felt that I had been hit by a proverbial ton of bricks. All of the planning, etc seems otherworldy, especially when your wife and machantenesta do all of the planning, until you sit down with your mchutan, your son or son in law the Msader Kiddushin and the guests. Once my dear wife and my mchatenesata broke the dish, our escorting the chasan for the Bdeken, our brachos and the walking into the Chupah were just as spiritually uplifting and awesome an event that I have ever experienced. When Chazal spoke of the importance of the mitzvas simchas chasan vkallah, there is no doubt that they were not exaggerating in any way, shape or form. As Mark pointed out so beautifully, the atmosphere was enhanced by the presence of so many RY from RIETS, chaverim of the chasan, Torah pioneers in Queens such as R F Schonfeld and R J Grunblatt as well as the special Ahavas HaTorah and Chasivus HaTorah of the chasan and kallah who arranged for the publication of a Kuntres of Divrei Torah L Zecher Nishmas R F Wagner ZTL, the rav of the YIFH , a talmid chacham and a rebbe of both the chasan and kallah.Read more The View From the Baal Simcha ›

Mazal Tov to Steve & Linda Brizel on the marriage of their daughter Shani to Ari Sendic last night.

I just got back from the wedding and Steve said I can share the simcha with our friends at Beyond BT.

The wedding was at the Rose Castle in Williamsburg. Right before the bedekin, Ari gave a dvar Torah pointing out that the chasson and kallah get mechila (forgiveness for their sins) on their wedding day and all the guests also get a measure of mechila. Steve was on cloud nine, enjoying every moment and he and Linda were beaming as they walked the beautiful bride, Shani, down the aisle.

Ari’s Rebbi from YU REITS where he is currently learning, Rabbi Herschel Schachter was the mesader kiddushin. As you probably know, Rabbi Schachter is also Steve’s Rebbi.

I don’t remember all the kibbudim, but Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills had the first brocha. Rabbi Schonfeld is the founding father of the Kew Gardens Hills frum community and most responsible for establishing it as the accepting place that it is. Rabbi Welcher, our Rav from Ahavas Yisroal had the fourth brocha.Read more Brizel – Sendic Chasana Update ›